Ovibos moschatus: Genome sequencing

Muskoxen are an iconic Arctic species within the Caprinae subfamily, that are economically and culturally significant to northern Indigenous communities. Low genetic diversity from repeated genetic bottlenecks, coupled with the effects of Arctic warming present conservation concerns for this species. The goal of this study was to deliver a de novo whole genome assembly of the muskox to provide a foundation for whole genome resequencing and population genomic studies. Additionally, the whole genome assembly was used to perform comparative genomic analyses to identify genes that may be key for Arctic adaptations in muskoxen.